Battery module

Abstract

A battery module includes a plurality of battery cells, a support plate adjacent to sides of the plurality of battery cells and the support plate includes an opening, and a first end plate that is adjacent to the support plate. The first end plate includes a projection that engages with the opening to couple together the first end plate and the support plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A battery module, comprising:
 a plurality of battery cells; 
 a support plate adjacent to sides of the plurality of battery cells, the support plate including an opening; and 
 a first end plate that is adjacent to the support plate, the first end plate including a projection that engages with the opening to couple together the first end plate and the support plate. 
 
     
     
       2. The battery module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the opening exposes at least one of the plurality of battery cells. 
     
     
       3. The battery module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first end plate is affixed to the support plate with only an opening-projection connection between the opening and the projection. 
     
     
       4. The battery module as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the opening-projection connection is free of any separate fastening member. 
     
     
       5. The battery module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the projection is a bent portion of the first end plate and a lateral end of the projection is in a non-overlapping relationship with the plurality of battery cells. 
     
     
       6. The battery module as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the projection includes:
 an extending portion that extends through the opening, and 
 a bending portion that is bent from the extending portion, the lateral end of the projection being on the bending portion. 
 
     
     
       7. The battery module as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein a length of the extending portion is substantially equal to a thickness of the support plate. 
     
     
       8. The battery module as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the bending portion is adjacent to an outer surface of the support plate, and an inner surface of the support plate is adjacent to the sides of the plurality of battery cells. 
     
     
       9. The battery module as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the bending portion includes a protrusion that corresponds to an indentation on the outer surface of the support plate. 
     
     
       10. The battery module as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a second end plate, wherein:
 the first end plate is adjacent to a first region of the support plate, and 
 the second end plate is adjacent to a second region of the support plate, the second region opposing the first region. 
 
     
     
       11. The battery module as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein:
 the second end plate is fastened to the second region of the support plate, and 
 the first end plate is affixed adjacent to the first region of the support plate without being fastened with any separate fastening member. 
 
     
     
       12. The battery module as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the first end plate has a first configuration that includes the projection and the second end plate has a second configuration, the first configuration being different from the second configuration. 
     
     
       13. The battery module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the opening includes a plurality of openings in the support plate, and 
 the projection includes a plurality of projections, the plurality of projections being spaced apart from each other and being coupled to the plurality of openings. 
 
     
     
       14. The battery module as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of openings in the support plate are spaced apart from each other, each opening receives one of the plurality of projections extending thereto, and the one of the plurality of projections is in contact with a sidewall of the opening. 
     
     
       15. The battery module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first end plate includes a base portion that is substantially parallel to wide faces of the plurality of battery cells, 
 the projection is integrally formed as one continuous piece bent from the base portion, and 
 the projection is seated on a first region of the support plate, the first region of the support plate being adjacent to the first end plate. 
 
     
     
       16. The battery module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the support plate is one of a plurality of support plates arranged adjacent to different sides of the plurality of battery cells, 
 the opening is one of a plurality of openings in the support plates, and 
 the projection is one of a plurality of projections extending from a base portion of the first end plate, each projection extending through one of the openings. 
 
     
     
       17. The battery module as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein:
 inner surfaces of the plurality of support plates face the plurality of battery cells, 
 the plurality of projections are seated on outer surfaces of the support plates, and 
 the projections are in contact with sidewalls of the plurality of openings. 
 
     
     
       18. The battery module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the support plate is one of a plurality of support plates arranged adjacent to different sides of the plurality of battery cells, the plurality of support plates being one continuous piece. 
     
     
       19. The battery module as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein:
 the support plate includes a frame end portion, a first surface of the frame end portion being adjacent to the first end plate, and a second surface of the frame end portion opposes the first surface, and 
 the projection is in contact with the second surface. 
 
     
     
       20. The battery module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the support plate includes a frame end portion that defines an outermost side of the support plate and that defines a sidewall of the opening, the frame end portion is in a non-overlapping relationship with the plurality of battery cells, and 
 the projection is in contact with the frame end portion and the sidewall of the opening.